WEBVTT THIS AFTERNOON. LAST SEASON, THE TROJANS KNOCKED OFF LSU ON HOMECOMING FOR THE TIGERS. AND THIS AFTERNOON, TROY TRIES TO SPOIL SCOTT FROST’S FIRST POTENTIAL WIN AS NEBRASKA’S HEAD COACH. THE TROJANS 1-1 THIS SEASON COMING IN AFTER WINNING THE SUN BELT CONFERENCE CROWN LAST YEAR. NO ADRIAN MARTINEZ TODAY, SO ANDREW BUNCH MAKES HIS FIRST CAREER START. NOT A GREAT START FOR THE SOPHOMORE. NEBRASKA SCORELESS IN THE FIRST QUARTER WITH A PAIR OF TURNOVERS INCLUDING THIS INTERCEPTION. TROY LEADS 3-0 AFTER ONE. SECOND QUARTER, THE TROJANS USE THEIR PATENTED SNEAK ATTACK. GET IT? THIS TIME ON SPECIAL TEAMS MISSED TACKLES, AND CEDARIUS ROOKARD TAKES ADVANTAGE. 58 YARDS TO THE HOUSE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT’S 10-0 TROY IN FRON SHADES OF LAST YEAR’ NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAME. THEN IT’S MORE TROJANS ON THEIR NEXT POSSESSION. THIS TIME, B.J. SMITH HITS P DIRT AFTER A PAIR OF PERSONAL FOUL PENALTIES AGAINST NEBRASKA. 17-0 TROY. BUNCH AND THE BIG RED RESPOND LATE IN THE SECOND QUARTER. 9-YARD TOUCHDOWN TOSS TO STANLEY MORGAN, THE 16TH OF THE SENIOR’S CAREER. HUSKERS TRAIL BY 10 AT THE HALF. THIRD QUARTER, MAURICE WASHINGTON GETS LOOSE. THE TRUE FRESHMAN HAD 14 CARRIES FOR 92 YARDS TO LEAD THE HUSKERS. SETS UP ANOTHER FIELD GOAL TO MAKE IT 17-13. FOURTH QUARTER. NEBRASKA CAN’T GET THE BIG STOP, B.J. SMITH AGAIN THIS TIME FRO 26 YARDS OUT, TROJANS 24-13 HUSKERS ALLOWING MORE THAN 4 YARDS PER CARRY TODAY. CORNHUSKERS ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL LATE. BUNCH FINDING J.D. SPIELMAN FOR A 7-YARD SCORE. 2-POINT CONVERSION FAILS, AND IT’S 24-19 WITH 2:55 REMAINING. FINA POSSESSION, SECOND PLAY. AND BUNCH IS PICKED OFF BY WIL SUNDERLAND. NEBRASKA FALLS TO 0-2 FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1957. 24-19 THE FINAL. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THIS ONE BY THE NUMBER NEBRASKA WINNING IN TOTAL OFFENSE BY MORE THAN 100 YARDS,

For the second consecutive week, Nebraska dug itself a double-digit hole it couldn't climb out of.The Troy Trojans (2-1) left Memorial Stadium with a 24-19 win, leaving the Huskers 0-2 for the first time since 1957. Made worse is the fact that Troy was paid $1.15 million to play the game in the first place."I told them that if anyone doesn’t want to stay on board this ride with us, let me know now and get off," Nebraska coach Scott Frost said. "I know where this is going. We just haven’t had the results early that we need.”Troy coach Neal Brown spoke highly of Frost and his coaching staff following the win. "I want to say this to the Nebraska fans, you’re going to be fine," Brown said. "Those guys over there, Scott Frost and those guys they have on defense and that staff in particular, they’re going to get it done here. They’re going to win and they’re going to win big."Nebraska's opening quarter was largely lifeless. Troy, conversely, played with poise. Behind a field goal, a punt returned for a touchdown and a score on the ground, ESPN’s win probability calculator gave the Trojans a 76.4 percent likelihood of winning early in the second quarter.The Huskers mounted a comeback in the second half following a fortuitous bounce in the opening minutes of the third quarter. The Trojans muffed a punt, which the Huskers recovered at the 8-yard line. Barret Pickering converted it into a field goal to cut Nebraska’s deficit to 17-10. The freshman kicker added another field goal less than seven minutes later.With junior-college transfer Andrew Bunch making his first career start with the team, the Huskers’ offense was hardly as dynamic as it was a week ago under freshman Adrian Martinez. With Martinez unable to play with a leg injury, Bunch largely struggled to find any rhythm. Frost noted that he prioritized Martinez's long-term health and said putting him into the game wasn't an option."If Martinez played, we were prepared for him," Brown said. "Martinez is special and an elite runner and he’s got great arm talent. He’s going to be a tremendous quarterback in the Big Ten, but we prepared the same way for both guys.”Penalties continued to rear their ugly heads for the Huskers, extending opponent drives and taking away touchdowns for the Nebraska offense. After an 11-penalty season opener, Nebraska followed it up with 10 more against Troy. That’s more total penalties for any Husker team through the first two games of a season since at least 2000, and only six times since 2000 has a Big Ten team accumulated that many penalties to start a season."Giving up special teams plays, turning the ball over, dumb penalties -- I can’t tell you how much we talked about that all week and it happens again," Frost said. "So we’ve got to do a better job as coaches."Nebraska next plays Saturday against Michigan to open Big Ten Conference play."We have a tough game next week, and this will get worse before it gets better," Frost said. "But it’s always darkest before the dawn. I know where this is going, so I want every guy in that locker room to be on board.”SOUND FROM FROST AND PLAYERS

LINCOLN, Neb. —

For the second consecutive week, Nebraska dug itself a double-digit hole it couldn't climb out of.

The Troy Trojans (2-1) left Memorial Stadium with a 24-19 win, leaving the Huskers 0-2 for the first time since 1957. Made worse is the fact that Troy was paid $1.15 million to play the game in the first place.

Advertisement

Related Content

"I told them that if anyone doesn’t want to stay on board this ride with us, let me know now and get off," Nebraska coach Scott Frost said. "I know where this is going. We just haven’t had the results early that we need.”

[excitem]https://p.excitem.com/s/play/14845?e=1[/excitem]

Troy coach Neal Brown spoke highly of Frost and his coaching staff following the win. "I want to say this to the Nebraska fans, you’re going to be fine," Brown said. "Those guys over there, Scott Frost and those guys they have on defense and that staff in particular, they’re going to get it done here. They’re going to win and they’re going to win big."

Nebraska's opening quarter was largely lifeless. Troy, conversely, played with poise. Behind a field goal, a punt returned for a touchdown and a score on the ground, ESPN’s win probability calculator gave the Trojans a 76.4 percent likelihood of winning early in the second quarter.

The Huskers mounted a comeback in the second half following a fortuitous bounce in the opening minutes of the third quarter. The Trojans muffed a punt, which the Huskers recovered at the 8-yard line. Barret Pickering converted it into a field goal to cut Nebraska’s deficit to 17-10. The freshman kicker added another field goal less than seven minutes later.

With junior-college transfer Andrew Bunch making his first career start with the team, the Huskers’ offense was hardly as dynamic as it was a week ago under freshman Adrian Martinez. With Martinez unable to play with a leg injury, Bunch largely struggled to find any rhythm. Frost noted that he prioritized Martinez's long-term health and said putting him into the game wasn't an option.

"If Martinez played, we were prepared for him," Brown said. "Martinez is special and an elite runner and he’s got great arm talent. He’s going to be a tremendous quarterback in the Big Ten, but we prepared the same way for both guys.”

Penalties continued to rear their ugly heads for the Huskers, extending opponent drives and taking away touchdowns for the Nebraska offense. After an 11-penalty season opener, Nebraska followed it up with 10 more against Troy. That’s more total penalties for any Husker team through the first two games of a season since at least 2000, and only six times since 2000 has a Big Ten team accumulated that many penalties to start a season.

"Giving up special teams plays, turning the ball over, dumb penalties -- I can’t tell you how much we talked about that all week and it happens again," Frost said. "So we’ve got to do a better job as coaches."

Nebraska next plays Saturday against Michigan to open Big Ten Conference play.

"We have a tough game next week, and this will get worse before it gets better," Frost said. "But it’s always darkest before the dawn. I know where this is going, so I want every guy in that locker room to be on board.”